This volume examines the nature and significance of the reflexive capacity of natural language, its ability to represent its own structure and use through reported speech and explicit statements about language use (metapragmatics). Included are theoretical overviews, case studies of the forms and functioning of reflexive language, and explorations of the broad importance of reflexive language for research in the humanities and social sciences. These innovative essays, many by internationally known researchers, effectively critique research in the human disciplines that fails to take language seriously. It should elicit widespread attention and debate.